On Tuesday, House Speaker Republican Kevin McCarthy announced that he is instructing three House committees to initiate an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.
The purpose of this inquiry is to obtain bank records and other documents related to both the President and his son, Hunter Biden.
-Biden impeachment announcement-
During a news conference on Tuesday, McCarthy explained that launching an impeachment inquiry is the next logical step in the ongoing investigations led by the GOP.
He stated, “This logical next step will empower our committees to collect all the necessary facts.”
He went on to state that he will “provide answers to the American public, which is precisely what we seek.”
Consequently, he added, “I believe the President should be willing to address these questions and allegations.”
-Abuse of power allegations-
McCarthy asserted that House Republicans have uncovered serious and credible allegations concerning President Biden’s behaviour.
In addition, this discovery included allegations of abuse of power, obstruction, and corruption.
He believes that these allegations warrant further investigation by the House of Representatives.
Oversight Chairman Rep. James Comer from Kentucky will lead the inquiry in collaboration with Judiciary Chairman Rep.
Jim Jordan from Ohio and Ways and Means Chairman Rep. Jason Smith from Missouri.
It’s important to note that a vote to initiate an impeachment inquiry is the first step in the process to potentially remove the President from office. It does not equate to an actual vote on impeachment itself.
-Change of mind on Biden-
McCarthy’s decision represents a significant change from his previous stance, as he had stated earlier in the month.
Coincidentally, his view then was that he wouldn’t initiate an impeachment inquiry without a full House vote.
His shift comes at a time when he appears to lack the necessary support within the GOP, given the absence of evidence linking the President to Hunter Biden’s actions.
This also marks a reversal for McCarthy from 2019 when he criticized Democrats for launching an impeachment inquiry into then-President Donald Trump without a prior House vote.
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This move brought up questions on the legitimacy of such an investigation without proper authorization. Ultimately, House Democrats did vote to authorize the inquiry.
-Democrats respond-
In response, the White House directed attention to tweets by spokesman Ian Sams.
Consequently, Sams criticized McCarthy for his previous statements about not initiating an impeachment inquiry without a House vote.
Sams highlighted that the House GOP investigations have failed to produce evidence of wrongdoing by the President.
The Biden campaign swiftly criticized McCarthy’s decision to initiate an impeachment inquiry, emphasizing his apparent flip-flopping on the matter.
Ammar Moussa, director of rapid response for the Biden campaign, stated that McCarthy lacks the necessary votes.
Moussa stated that his members have found no evidence of stated abuses of power. He also suggested that McCarthy’s actions were driven by a desire to assist Donald Trump’s campaign.
Jordan and Comer are expected to provide an update on the impeachment inquiry.
The House Republicans are expected to give an update during the House Republican Conference.
